Today, POINTS ON THE BOARD has the privilege of a moment with Nenad Zimonjic** of Serbia, who is partnering Daniel Nestor of Canada to contest Wimbledon 2008’s Men’s Doubles Final.  This despite the former breaking his wrist two days ago.

MC: Nenad, great to have you here today.  Serbia has become tennis’ ‘It’ country and was poised to assault, if not outright dominate the fortnight here at Wimbledon.  Many expected to see the reigning ladies’ French Open and men’s Australian Open champions in the finals this weekend.  Yet only you remain -- the elder statesman, the last Serb standing.  How do you explain this?

NZ: I don’t know... you win a Grand Slam title, get your own stamp and suddenly you are no longer hungry.

MC: If I am not mistaken, Nenad, you have won three Grand Slam titles  -- in mixed doubles, including one this year -- and were also honored with a postage stamp in your home country.

NZ:  True, but from the moment the stamps were issued, everything changed.  You’ll notice the award of denomination is inversely proportionate to the players' depth in the tournament here.  

Djokovic is put on the most expensive stamp -- worth 46 dinars (that’s about 80 cents to you)  -- and he thinks he’s on level with Federer.  Then he loses second round to a player ranked 75th in the world.

MC: That wasn’t just any player, though... that was Marat Saf...

NZ: And Ana Ivanovic, she rates a 40 dinars stamp before she even wins at Roland Garros.  Afterwards, she hardly preps, instead auctioning off her clothing to fetishist men.  

Here on the lawns, she almost exits in the second match like Novak, but a lucky netcord and six less dinars last one more round.

MC: Well, let’s see... Janko Tipsarevic, at 20 dinars, is on the stamp worth the least.  So according to your theory of inverse proportions, he should have gone farther than you.

NZ: Yes, but he did well beating Roddick and Tursunov to reach the fourth round.  He is still striving, yet is just a baby with much to learn.... he still believes nasal strips work.

MC:  I’m still not sure I believe your stamp theory.  For example, I can’t imagine the men pictured on American paper money grousing over their respective printings...

NZ: Exactly why you should understand denomination!  The U.S. order of value is quite good.  The gentleman on your largest bill signed your Declaration of Independence, plus he was a Postmaster and well-known to the ladies of France.

MC: I don’t see why...

NZ:  By the way, I do not get your nickname ‘Dead Presidents.’  No wonder you are not smarter than fifth graders. 

MC: Uhh... ok then, back to your theory.  The fourth round was also the end for Jelena Jankovic, who shares a stamp value with you at 30 dinars.

NZ: Yes, one step more than Ana, so she fits the model.  I don’t quite understand her issue with the outer courts, though.  The Woodies played on Court 18 several times this tournament, so this is legendary ground... these old men don't need helicopters.

Maybe she is too lazy to walk to the court, but on-court, she fought again through injury, so this is good.  Shows she’s still hungry for a higher postal rate.

MC: Speaking of injury, you finished your semi-final on Friday and now go into your final with a fractured radial bone in your left wrist!

NZ: Yes, I fell and broke it on the first day of the match Thursday.  This is nothing.  I have stared across the net at the great Martina Navratilova and won.

MC: Ah, in Australia 2004, the first of your Mixed Doubles trophies!  You have a shot today at your first men’s Grand Slam championship win, as well as your first Wimbledon title.

NZ: Twice before, I have made it to the final here; this time I will win.

MC: If so, your partner Daniel Nestor will have a career Grand Slam!

NZ: There will be much cause for celebration.  Have you seen our player card for the ATP “Feel It” promotion?

MC:  Of course, I LOVE the tigers...

NZ: I should be shown serving!  I have one of the hardest serves in the doubles!!!  Why is the Canadian in front?! ... I look small; we’re the same height, you know!!...  I am not even shown holding a racquet...  

MC: Perhaps we should conclude this interview...

NZ: That reminds me, there’s the matter of your Latin alphabet... why is the ‘Z’ last?!  This is not the way in Cyrillic...

DANIEL NESTOR AND NENAD ZIMONJIC (right, shown looking larger than the Canadian)

Note also Zimonjic's broken wrist braced to allow play in the continuation of their semi-final match against Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy.

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*The Wimbledon 2008 Men’s Doubles Final has many compelling recommendations.  It is the final Wimbledon for Jonas Bjorkman -- former world number four, one of my favorite players and one of the most-decorated in doubles -- who has announced his impending retirement.  

On the opposite side of the net, Daniel Nestor has a chance for his career Grand Slam in Doubles, having already won the Australian, the US Open and the French, in that order.

**All depictions of Nenad Zimonjic’s opinions are fictional.  The fact of his broken bone is truth, another reason to watch or listen to the Men’s Doubles Final & support Doubles in general.

Their final is scheduled as the second match on Center Court.  This match will be bookmarked by Venus and Serena Williams contesting the Ladies' Singles, and then later pairing for the Ladies' Doubles Finals. 

Asked about the Williams sisters' motivation, Zimonjic had this to say: “When a player is in the zone, we often say he or she is seeing the tennis ball ‘like a football.’  The sisters are seeing the ball like Justin Gimelstob’s head.”